Quote Originally Posted by bluebasser86 View Post
I wondered the same about them getting the zebra mussels as a byproduct of feeding on something that was on/near the bottom. I don't know how much zebras may open and close like a freshwater mussel, but any small movement can attract a curious smallmouth. The main reason I don't think it was incidental was there was a few dozen shells in the livewell with an 18 1/4" and a 20" smallmouth, seems like that's a lot of shells if it was accidental. This happened at Melvern this past April, one of these two fish or maybe both.
bluebasser86,

Were the shells open or closed? Were they live zebra mussels or just the shells? Single shells or still connected to the other half? Sorry for all the questions! If they were live zebra mussels, then more often than not they are firmly attached to the substrate meaning they are rather difficult to pull off. If the shells don't contain a live zebra mussel then they aren't usually attached and can sometimes be found in large piles of loose dead shells which would be really easy to inhale a few while snapping a crawdad off the bottom. If the regurgitated zebra mussels were still alive then the smallies could have been targetting the zebra mussels as they would have to expend some energy to dislodge the attached zeebs from the bottom. Again, sorry for all the questions! I've not seen any sign of the El Dorado smallies eating zeebs so hearing of your trip has my interest!

Great looking smallmouth! I bet those were a BLAST to catch!